Album of the Day

Following a sensational debut, Missy Elliott got real with DA REAL WORLD. If the tone is sometimes dark (the collection is dedicated to the Columbine shooting victims), Elliott's commanding flow lights up such tracks as “All N My Grill,” “Hot Boyz (Remix)” and female empowerment anthem “She's a Bitch.” Timbaland co-produced the set, and along with his futuristic breakbeats, the 1999 Elektra album features an army of hip-hop guest stars including Beyoncé, Eminem, Lil' Kim and Aaliyah. The Platinum-certified DA REAL WORLD is one of the reasons Missy Elliott received a well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame a year ago today.